Weekly #8 final

                Romanesque art and architecture began in the end of the ninth century and lasted through the first half of the eleventh century.  No single country came up with the idea of Romanesque art, the process was slow and took place in Italy, France, Germany, and Spain.  Gothic art and architecture emerged and dominated western Europe from the middle of the twelfth century to the  early fifteenth century.   Gothic art began in the Île-de-France.  These two arts were very different from each other in both look and in theology; Romanesque architecture focused on keeping God's people safe, and Gothic art was focused on letting God's light in. 

Romanesque art styles focused on mosaic, gold work, ivory carving, textiles, and sculpture in wood and stone, (Figure 1).  The altar was the most important place in the church and was often decorated with either a sculpture or a painting.  These altar decorations were made of ivory, gold, or silver.  Gothic art styles, however, preferred to use stone so they could better depict the facial expressions of their sculptures, (Figure 2).  Many of these altars depicted scenes of the Judgment day.  The architects thought was that, upon entering, the person's view should be focused on the altar.  These two altars have the same purpose, but they have entirely different looks and meanings.

Gothic and Romanesque cathedrals had very different looks, both on the outside and on the inside.  On the outside, Gothic cathedrals used flying buttresses to support the building, whereas Romanesque cathedrals had used thick walls to support the rib vaulting on the inside.  The flying buttresses allowed the walls to become thinner and the ceiling was higher.  Romanesque windows were small because the walls had to hold considerable weight.  Gothic windows were large and numerous, and stained glass was popular then, (Figure 3).  Romanesque buildings had quite a few problems before the building became thick walls made of stone, (Figure 4).  Originally, the walls were made of wood, but because the cathedrals used candles as light, many of them burned down.  That is why the architects began to use stone.  Gothic buildings had some problems too.  Not everyone approved of the lavishness of the buildings, and many people were disappointed that the money spent on the buildings was not spent on the poor and sick.  Even though there was some controversy and building problems, the buildings were beautiful.

The insides of the cathedrals is where you really see the difference between the art.  The Romanesque cathedral is dark and has a very low ceiling, (Figure 5).  You can tell how heavy the building was by looking at the inside.  The Gothic cathedral, on the other hand, is wide open and bright.  The ceiling is high, and the stained glass windows really let the light in.  The largest window of the Gothic  cathedral is known as the rose window, (Figure 6).  The window is said to be the eye to the sky letting God's light shine in.  Artists painted wood panels on the insides of the buildings to create illuminations.  The interiors of Romanesque churches were covered with plaster and then painted.  Many were repainted in layers and layers of beautiful art.  The wall paintings that we see today in Romanesque churches were uncovered by painstakingly removing all the layers of paint.  The central doorway has the scene of the Last Judgment, and the door-jambs are carved with the Wise and Foolish Virgins, a popular sculpture of  the time.  The architecture of the different time periods were very different, Romanesque keeping the people safe, and Gothic letting God's light shine in.

                Romanesque and Gothic are two architectural revolutions that occurred in most of the world.  The altars were used for the same purpose, but they were so very different.  The outsides looked similar, but the Gothic was so much more open with large and beautiful windows.  The insides had two entirely different purposes.  The Romanesque was small and dark, and it was made to be a safe haven for God's people.  The Gothic cathedral was open, letting God's light shine in for all to see.

Appendix

Figure 1. Church of Bredons in Murat. (n.d.). Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved April 27, 2011, from commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File

Figure 2. Gothic Altar from Veit. (n.d.).Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved April 27, 2011, from commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File

Figure 3 Cathedral St. Michael. (n.d.).Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved April 27, 2011, from commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Saints-Michel-et-Gudule_Luc_Viatour.jpg

Figure 4 Notre-Dame Cathedral. (n.d.).Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved April 27, 2011, from commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File

Figure 5 Augsburg Cathedral. (n.d.).Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved April 27, 2011, from commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Augsburg-Dom_12.jpg

Figure 6 Cathedral Notre-Dame de Reims. (n.d.). Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved April 27, 2011, from commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:

Weekly #8 rough draft

                Romanesque art and architecture began in the end of the ninth century and lasted through the first half of the eleventh century.  No single country came up with the idea of Romanesque art, the process was slow and took place in Italy, France, Germany, and Spain.  Gothic art and architecture emerged and dominated western Europe from the middle of the twelfth century to the  early fifteenth century.   Gothic art began in the Île-de-France.  These two arts were very different from each other in both look and in theology; Romanesque architecture focused more on keeping God's people safe, and Gothic art was focused on letting God's light in.  Romanesque and Gothic arts did not have anything to do with theology, and there was not a difference between the two.

Romanesque art styles focused on book illumination, mosaic, intricate gold work, ivory carving, textiles, and sculpture in wood and stone. (Figure 1)  The altar was the most important place in the church and was often decorated with either a sculpture or a painting.  These altar decorations were made of ivory, gold, or silver.  Gothic art styles, however, preferred to use stone so they could better depict the facial expressions of their sculptures. (Figure 2)  Many of these altars depicted scenes of the Judgment day.  The architects thought was that, upon entering, the person's view should be focused on the altar.  These two altars have the same purpose, but they have entirely different looks and meanings.

Gothic and Romanesque cathedrals had very different looks, both on the outside and on the inside.  On the outside, Gothic cathedrals used flying buttresses to support the building, whereas Romanesque cathedrals had used thick walls to support the rib vaulting on the inside.  The flying buttresses allowed the walls to become thinner and the ceiling was higher.  Romanesque windows were small because the walls had to hold considerable weight.  Gothic windows were large and numerous, and stained glass was popular then. Figure 3  Romanesque buildings had quite a few problems before the building became thick walls made of stone.  Figure 4  Originally, the walls were made of wood, but because the cathedrals used candles as light, many of them burned down.  That is why the architects began to use stone.  Gothic buildings had some problems too.  Not everyone approved of the lavishness of the buildings, and many people were disappointed that the money spent on the buildings was not spent on the poor and sick.  Even though there was some controversy and building problems, the buildings were beautiful.

The insides of the cathedrals is where you really see the difference between the art.  The Romanesque cathedral is dark and has a very low ceiling.  Figure 5  You can tell how heavy the building was by looking at the inside.  The Gothic cathedral, on the other hand, is wide open and bright.  The ceiling is high, and the stained glass windows really let the light in.  The largest window of the Gothic  cathedral is known as the rose window.  Figure 6  The window is said to be the eye to the sky letting God's light shine in.  Artists painted wood panels on the insides of the buildings to create illuminations.  The interiors of Romanesque churches were covered with plaster and then painted.  Many were repainted in layers and layers of beautiful art.  The wall paintings that we see today in Romanesque churches were uncovered by painstakingly removing all the layers of paint.  The central doorway has the scene of the Last Judgment, and the door-jambs are carved with the Wise and Foolish Virgins, a popular sculpture of  the time.  The architecture of the different time periods were very different, Romanesque keeping the people safe, and Gothic letting God's light shine in.

                Romanesque and Gothic are two architectural revolutions that occurred in most of the world.  The altars were used for the same purpose, but they were so very different.  The outsides looked similar, but the Gothic was so much more open with large and beautiful windows.  The insides had two entirely different purposes.  The Romanesque was small and dark, and it was made to be a safe haven for God's people.  The Gothic cathedral was open, letting God's light shine in for all to see.

Appendix

Figure 1. Church of Bredons in Murat. (n.d.). Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved April 27, 2011, from commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File

Figure 2. Gothic Altar from Veit. (n.d.).Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved April 27, 2011, from commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File

Figure 3 Cathedral St. Michael. (n.d.).Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved April 27, 2011, from commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Saints-Michel-et-Gudule_Luc_Viatour.jpg

Figure 4 Notre-Dame Cathedral. (n.d.).Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved April 27, 2011, from commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File

Figure 5 Augsburg Cathedral. (n.d.).Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved April 27, 2011, from commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Augsburg-Dom_12.jpg

Figure 6 Cathedral Notre-Dame de Reims. (n.d.). Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved April 27, 2011, from commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:

Weekly #7 (Did Rome Fall?)

After Theodosius died, he left the Roman Empire to his two sons.  Honorius took the West, and Arcadius took the East.  Neither of them were good emperors, but the split began the fall of Rome.  With Barbarians pressing from all sides, Eastern and Western Rome were in trouble.  Conflicts over Catholicism also led to Rome's end.  In395, Rome began to decline with the death of Theodosius, Rome split in two, and eventually fell because of poor leadership, Christianity, and Barbarians.

The first two leaders to really start the fall of Rome were Honorius and Arcadius.  "It didn't take long for the Germans and Goths to realize that the new young emperors were weak and so this was a good time to attack. Roman generals also saw this weakness and revolted," (Fall of Rome).  Rome was being attacked from the inside and out.  Constantine III was attacking Spain, but he was eventually killed.  The Visigoths were attacking Italy because Honorius refused to give them gold.  The Visigoths took over Rome and sacked the city.  Because of the weakness in leadership, the Visigoths took control of Rome, and Rome began the long decent to its fall.

Christianity also played an important role in the fall of Rome.  "A large portion of public and private wealth was consecrated to the specious demands of charity and devotion; and the soldiers' pay was lavished on the useless multitudes of both sexes, who could only plead the merits of abstinence and chastity," (Gibbon).  The army became weak from the loss of payment, and they could not afford to pay for advancing the technology of their weapons.  Rome soon lost tons of money to the Catholic Church's donation bin.  Constantine's legalizing of Christianity only helped Rome fall faster.  Now that Christians weren't being persecuted, people were much more willing to convert.  The Catholic Church was gaining more and more money, which only caused the government become poor.

Barbarians, a group of people that the Romans would soon wish they had never encountered.  "Cold, poverty, and a life of danger and fatigue, fortify the strength and courage of Barbarians," (Gibbon).  Barbarians live peacefully among many different groups around the world, but Rome was very weak.  When the Western Empire split into pieces, the barbarians quickly took control.  The new pieces never became as strong as the Western Empire was, but they did flourish and develop over time.  Without the barbarians, who knows what would have happened to the Western Empire, but the Barbarians definitely helped speed up the fall of Rome.

Thanks to the Barbarians, Christianity, and poor leadership, Rome became weak and fell.  Christianity had more money in their donation bin than the Roman government had.  The Western Empire broke apart and the Barbarians were happy to take control.  The leadership was not strong enough to hold the empire together.  Rome was once one of the biggest powers in the world, now it is broken and will never fully recover.  The fall or Rome will forever be remembered as an important part of history.

Works Cited

Fall of Rome - History for Kids!. (n.d.). Kidipede - History for Kids - Homework Help for Middle School. Retrieved April 12, 2011, from http://www.historyforkids.org/learn

Gibbon, E. (n.d.). Medieval Sourcebook: Gibbon: The Fall of the Roman Empire .FORDHAM.EDU. Retrieved April 12, 2011, from http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/gibbon-fall.html 

Weekly 7 Rough draft

After Theodosius died, he left the Roman Empire to his two sons.  Honorius took the West, and Arcadius took the East.  Neither of them were good emperors, but the split began the fall of Rome.  With Barbarians pressing from all sides, Eastern and Western Rome were in trouble.  Conflicts over Catholicism also led to Rome's end.  In395, Rome began to decline with the death of Theodosius, Rome split in two, eventually fell, and was never the same again.  When Rome split in two, it transformed into something new better.

The first two leaders to really start the fall of Rome were Honorius and Arcadius.  "It didn't take long for the Germans and Goths to realize that the new young emperors were weak and so this was a good time to attack. Roman generals also saw this weakness and revolted," (Fall of Rome).  Rome was being attacked from the inside and out.  Constantine III was attacking Spain, but he was eventually killed.  The Visigoths were attacking Italy because Honorius refused to give them gold.  The Visigoths took over Rome and sacked the city.  Because of the weakness in leadership, the Visigoths led Rome, and Rome began the long decent to its fall.

Christianity also played an important role in the fall of Rome.  "A large portion of public and private wealth was consecrated to the specious demands of charity and devotion; and the soldiers' pay was lavished on the useless multitudes of both sexes, who could only plead the merits of abstinence and chastity," (Gibbon).  The army became weak from the loss of payment, and they could not afford to pay for advancing weapons.  Rome soon lost tons of money to the Catholic Church's donation bin.  Constantine's legalizing of Christianity only helped Rome fall faster.  Now that Christians weren't being persecuted, people were much more willing to convert.  The Catholic Church was gaining more and more money, which only made the government more poor.

Barbarians, a group of people that the Romans would soon wish they had never encountered.  "Cold, poverty, and a life of danger and fatigue, fortify the strength and courage of Barbarians," (Gibbon).  Barbarians live peacefully among many different groups around the world, but Rome was very weak.  When the Western Empire split into pieces, the barbarians quickly took control.  The new pieces never became as strong as the Western Empire was, but they did flourish and develop over time.  Without the barbarians, who knows what would have happened to the Western Empire.

Thanks to the Barbarians, Christianity, and poor leadership, Rome became weak and fell.  Christianity had more money in their donation bin than the Roman government had.  The Western Empire broke apart and the Barbarians were happy to take control.  Rome was once one of the biggest powers in the world, now it is broken and will never fully recover.  The fall or Rome will forever be remembered as an important part of history.

Fall of Rome - History for Kids!. (n.d.). Kidipede - History for Kids - Homework Help for Middle School. Retrieved April 12, 2011, from http://www.historyforkids.org/learn

Gibbon, E. (n.d.). Medieval Sourcebook: Gibbon: The Fall of the Roman Empire .FORDHAM.EDU. Retrieved April 12, 2011, from http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/gibbon-fall.html

Daily #33

Required Daily: How does Early Christian and Byzantine portraiture represent both a continuation of and a break from the past? Look up the Fayum Portraits and the Ravenna Portrait of Justinian as a starting point for your thinking.


The early portraiture continue things from the past because they all depict an event that happened.    Most of the modern pictures today show an event happening.  They both used the resources they had at that time, and they made art.  I know a few artists, and they do what they do because they love it.  I am sure most artists then loved what they did too.  Like the mummy's have faces pictured on them, artists painted portraits of people.  


The early portraiture break from the past in many ways too.  People began to express themselves more in art, and they got more creative and spontaneous.  Artists began to focus more on details around the face, where in ancient art the focus was more on just depicting the scene.  The resources they used differ greatly from charcoal to paint.  In some old cave drawings, it is hard to tell what the artist was drawing, but in these pictures, you can clearly see the detail in each person.  This is when you could also begin to see differences in race.  Whether someone is taller, darker, brown haired, etc, you can tell the difference between people.  Looking at the cave drawings it is impossible to tell one person from the next.  The ancient pictures were basically the people's way of telling their story.  In the early portraiture, the story didn't need to be told, the faces just needed to be seen.  We have writers to take care of telling the story, the portrait just backs up the story.  There are so many things alike about the two and a lot of things that are different between the two arts, but they each have meaning and that is why they are so important for us even today.

Final Draft Seneca

Seneca was a friend and tutor to the emperor Nero.  Nero began to suspect that Seneca was plotting against him, so he planned to kill Seneca.  Nero sent Natalis to inform Seneca that he was going to die.  Many people consider Seneca a great stoic in the face of death.  Stoicism is the ability to endure pain and hardship while retaining the ability to control one's emotions; Seneca, at his death, was a perfect example of a stoic.

When Natalis was sent to Seneca, one of the men who was with Seneca noted that, "he saw no signs of fear, and perceived no sadness in his words or in his looks," (Tacitus).  Seneca was completely calm in the face of death.  Seneca himself said, "Who knew not Nero's cruelty? After a mother's and a brother's murder, nothing remains but to add the destruction of a guardian and a tutor," (Tacitus).  Seneca knew what was coming, and he accepted it.  He understood that if Nero was willing to kill his own kin, he would be willing to kill a friend.  He was in total control of his emotions, and he didn't let anyone know what he was truly feeling.

Seneca was strongly supported by his wife in the whole ordeal.  His wife loved him so much, she told him she would be willing to die with him.  Seneca told her,  "I have shown you ways of smoothing life; you prefer the glory of dying. I will not grudge you such a noble example. Let the fortitude of so courageous an end be alike in both of us, but let there be more in your decease to win fame,"(Tacitus).  Even though he didn't really want her to die, he would let her make her own choices.  He told her was a good life she could have without him, but, once again, he didn't let his emotions get the better of him.

Even while being tortured, Seneca remained emotionless.  "Worn out by cruel anguish, afraid too that his sufferings might break his wife's spirit, and that, as he looked on her tortures, he might himself sink into irresolution, he persuaded her to retire into another chamber. Even at the last moment his eloquence failed him not,"(Tacitus).  His wife meant a lot to him, and even though he was in a lot of pain, he focused on her.  He didn't want her to see him in pain, so he protected her even while he was being tortured.  Not many people would be thinking of their wife while they were being brutally tortured.

In conclusion, Seneca was a very strong man for doing what he did.  He showed no worry, no fear, when he was told he was going to die.  His love for his wife overcame the greatest pain he could endure.  His stoicism remained up until his last breath.  He endured pain and plenty of hardship during his final years, but he came through it all with no fear.  Seneca was a great stoic and showed no emotion in the face of torture, and in the end, death.

Sources

Tacitus, Initials. (65 C.E). The death of seneca, 65 ce. Retrieved from http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/tacitus-ann15a.html

Rough Draft Seneca

Seneca was a friend and tutor to the emperor Nero.  Nero began to suspect that Seneca was plotting against him, so he planned to kill Seneca.  Nero sent Natalis to inform Seneca that he was going to die.  Many people consider Seneca a great stoic in the face of death.  Stoicism is the ability to endure pain and hardship while retaining the ability to control one's emotions; Seneca, at his death, was a perfect example of a stoic.

When Natalis was sent to Seneca, one of the men who was with Seneca noted that, "he saw no signs of fear, and perceived no sadness in his words or in his looks."  Seneca was completely calm in the face of death.  Seneca himself said, "Who knew not Nero's cruelty? After a mother's and a brother's murder, nothing remains but to add the destruction of a guardian and a tutor."  Seneca knew what was coming, and he accepted it.  He understood that if Nero was willing to kill his own kin, he would be willing to kill a friend.  He was in total control of his emotions, and he didn't let anyone know what he was truly feeling.

Seneca was strongly supported by his wife in the whole ordeal.  His wife loved him so much, she told him she would be willing to die with him.  Seneca told her,  "I have shown you ways of smoothing life; you prefer the glory of dying. I will not grudge you such a noble example. Let the fortitude of so courageous an end be alike in both of us, but let there be more in your decease to win fame."  Even though he didn't really want her to die, he would let her make her own choices.  He told her was a good life she could have without him, but, once again, he didn't let his emotions get the better of him.

Even while being tortured, Seneca remained emotionless.  "Worn out by cruel anguish, afraid too that his sufferings might break his wife's spirit, and that, as he looked on her tortures, he might himself sink into irresolution, he persuaded her to retire into another chamber. Even at the last moment his eloquence failed him not."  His wife meant a lot to him, and even though he was in a lot of pain, he focused on her.  He didn't want her to see him in pain, so he protected her even while he was being tortured.  Not many people would be thinking of their wife while they were being brutally tortured.

In conclusion, Seneca was a very strong man for doing what he did.  He showed no worry, no fear, when he was told he was going to die.  His love for his wife overcame the greatest pain he could endure.  His stoicism remained up until his last breath.  He endured pain and plenty of hardship during his final years, but he came through it all with no fear.  Seneca was a great stoic and showed no emotion in the face of torture, and in the end, death.

Daily #32

Required Daily: Read Tacitus' description of the Death of Seneca and Book One of M. Aurelius' Meditations. Find quotes within those two texts that help explain what Stoicism is all about.


To be stoic means, "Adjective: Of or belonging to the Stoics or their school of philosophy.
Noun: A person who can endure pain or hardship without showing their feelings or complaining."

Death of Seneca
"Seneca, quite unmoved, asked for tablets on which to inscribe his will,"  This quote says a lot because, even in the face of death, he just casually asked for something to write his will on.

"Who knew not Nero's cruelty? After a mother's and a brother's murder, nothing remains but to add the destruction of a guardian and a tutor."  This quote just shows how he knew what was coming, and he accepted it.

 "I have shown you ways of smoothing life; you prefer the glory of dying. I will not grudge you such a noble example. Let the fortitude of so courageous an end be alike in both of us, but let there be more in your decease to win fame."  He just says that if his wife wants to die with him she can.  It's her choice.  I find this a little bit crazy that he would just let his wife die, but he stayed emotionless.

"Worn out by cruel anguish, afraid too that his sufferings might break his wife's spirit, and that, as he looked on her tortures, he might himself sink into irresolution, he persuaded her to retire into another chamber. Even at the last moment his eloquence failed him not."  He showed that his wife meant a lot to him and that even when he was dying, he didn't want her there to see it.

Book One
"From Rusticus I received the impression that my character required improvement and discipline"

"From Sextus, a benevolent disposition, and the example of a family governed in a fatherly manner, and the idea of living conformably to nature; and gravity without affectation, and to look carefully after the interests of friends, and to tolerate ignorant persons, and those who form opinions without consideration"

"From Maximus I learned self-government, and not to be led aside by anything; and cheerfulness in all circumstances, as well as in illness; and a just admixture in the moral character of sweetness and dignity, and to do what was set before me without complaining."

"In my father I observed mildness of temper, and unchangeable resolution in the things which he had determined after due deliberation; and no vainglory in those things which men call honours; and a love of labour and perseverance; and a readiness to listen to those who had anything to propose for the common weal; and undeviating firmness in giving to every man according to his deserts; and a knowledge derived from experience of the occasions for vigorous action and for remission."


Sources:
http://www.google.com/dictionary?
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/marcuaurelius1.html#BOOK ONE
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/tacitus-ann15a.html